LineupFairHow to make a fielding rotation in 5 steps
- Set the game. Pick the number of innings (1 to 9, default 6) and the defensive format: Standard 9, 10 fielders with four outfielders, Coach pitch, T-ball or Custom.
- Add your players. Type names one at a time or paste a list with one player per line and an optional jersey number. Mark anyone who is absent, set an arrival inning for late players, and tick positions a player should never play, such as catcher or pitcher.
- Choose the rules. Switch on the fairness rules you want: bench fairness, no sitting twice in a row, a minimum number of infield innings, no repeat positions and limits at pitcher and catcher.
- Generate and adjust. Press Generate chart. If you want a different version, press Shuffle. Tap one cell and then another in the same inning to swap two players; the summary and the rule check update at once.
- Print or share. Download the dugout card for a clipboard, a 5 × 8 in index card version or the field diagram, set the batting order, and copy the share link for your assistant coach.
Check your league's rules. Every rule in LineupFair is a coach setting, not league policy. Leagues differ on minimum playing time, batting orders, pitching and substitutions, so check your league's rules before you rely on a chart. LineupFair does not track pitch counts.
What makes a rotation fair
In recreational youth baseball and softball, most coaches try to give every child about the same time on the field and a turn at different positions. That sounds simple until a real roster arrives: eleven kids, one who cannot catch, one who is late, and a coach with a pencil trying to make six innings add up. LineupFair turns the usual goals into five rules you can switch on or off.
- Bench fairness. Nobody sits a second time before everyone available has sat once, and bench innings differ by at most one among players who are there for the same innings.
- No sitting two innings in a row, whenever the roster allows it.
- Minimum infield innings. Every player gets at least the number you choose at pitcher, first, second, third or shortstop. The catcher counts as infield by default, and you can turn that off.
- No same position two innings in a row, except where you have locked a position.
- Limits at pitcher and catcher. A cap on how many innings one player can pitch or catch in a game, 2 by default, which keeps those demanding spots spread across the roster.
Two things are not negotiable. A lock (for example, Maya pitches innings 1 and 2) and a never plays choice (for example, Ben does not catch) are always obeyed. Everything else is a goal. If a goal cannot be met, the chart still appears and a message names the rule and the player, so you decide what to do.
How the chart is built
Most hand-made rotations start with positions and hope the bench works out. LineupFair works the other way round. First it decides who sits in every inning, using the bench rules, because that is where unfairness usually starts. Then it fills the positions one inning at a time, scoring each possible assignment so that repeats, missing infield time and too many innings at pitcher or catcher cost more than a fresh position for a player. A final pass swaps pairs of players inside an inning when that improves the whole game.
The result is deterministic: the same roster, rules and version number always produce the same chart. Shuffle picks a new version, which is useful when you want a different pitcher order. It is quick, well under a second for 15 players and 9 innings, and it runs entirely on your device.
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ava | C | LF | P | SS | 1B | Bench |
| Ben | SS | RF | 1B | Bench | 2B | LF |
| Chloe | 2B | CF | 3B | RF | Bench | P |
| Dylan | P | SS | Bench | LF | 3B | CF |
| Ella | 3B | Bench | LF | P | C | RF |
| Finn | CF | C | 2B | 3B | LF | 1B |
| Grace | 1B | 2B | RF | CF | SS | 3B |
| Hugo | Bench | 1B | CF | C | P | 2B |
| Isla | RF | P | C | 1B | CF | SS |
| Jack | LF | 3B | SS | 2B | RF | C |
In that chart six players sit once and four never sit, which is as even as ten players and six innings allow. Nobody sits twice in a row, no one plays the same position in consecutive innings, and every player has at least one infield inning.
The bench math, in plain numbers
Bench time is arithmetic. The number of bench slots in a game is the number of players beyond the fielders, times the number of innings. Divide by the number of players to see what is fair. For Standard 9 over six innings:
| Players | On the bench each inning | Bench slots in 6 innings | Fair split |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 | 6 | 6 players sit 1, 4 sit 0 |
| 11 | 2 | 12 | 1 player sits 2, 10 sit 1 |
| 12 | 3 | 18 | 6 players sit 2, 6 sit 1 |
| 13 | 4 | 24 | 11 players sit 2, 2 sit 1 |
| 14 | 5 | 30 | 2 players sit 3, 12 sit 2 |
| 15 | 6 | 36 | 6 players sit 3, 9 sit 2 |
When the slots do not divide evenly, a difference of one inning is unavoidable, which is why the rule says “at most one”. Late arrivals and absences change the numbers inning by inning, and the tool compares only players who were there for the same innings.
The nine standard positions
| Position | Code | Scorekeeping number | Counts as infield here? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | P | 1 | Yes |
| Catcher | C | 2 | Yes by default; you can turn it off |
| First base | 1B | 3 | Yes |
| Second base | 2B | 4 | Yes |
| Third base | 3B | 5 | Yes |
| Shortstop | SS | 6 | Yes |
| Left field | LF | 7 | No |
| Center field | CF | 8 | No |
| Right field | RF | 9 | No |
Strictly speaking the catcher is not an infielder, but many coaches count the catcher's innings toward infield time because the position is busy and skilled. If your league or team thinks otherwise, untick Count catcher as infield.
Absences, late arrivals and locks
Real games rarely start with the roster you planned. Mark a player absent and the chart is rebuilt without them. Give a late player an arrival inning and they are kept off the field and the bench until then, and they bat at the end of the order. If a lock clashes with an absence, or a player is locked to two positions in the same inning, LineupFair shows a plain message naming the problem rather than a broken chart.
Use locks sparingly. A coach who locks the same child at pitcher for four innings has used up most of the pitcher limit on one player, and the tool will tell you the limit is exceeded. That is by design: the lock wins, and you stay informed.
Batting order, season totals and printouts
The batting order is continuous, so everyone present bats. Drag names or use the arrows to reorder, and use Rotate for next game to move the top few hitters to the bottom. Save a finished game to your season, and the season view adds up bench innings, infield innings and positions per player, so you can see whether the year is balancing out. Then print: a Letter-size dugout card, a 5 × 8 in index card version, a field diagram with one small diamond per inning, a season summary, or a blank lineup card for writing by hand.
Using a different sport or age group? See the presets for T-ball, coach pitch and softball, or read how to rotate youth positions by age.
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Frequently asked questions
Is LineupFair really free?
Yes. Every feature is free, with no account and no limit on how often you use it. Each PDF has a small “Made with LineupFair” line in the bottom margin.
How does it keep playing time fair?
It decides who sits first. Each inning the bench goes to the players who have sat the least so far, so nobody sits a second time before everyone available has sat once, and bench innings differ by at most one among players there for the same innings. Then it fills the positions inning by inning, avoiding repeats and keeping infield time even.
Does it work for softball, T-ball and coach pitch?
Yes. Standard 9 covers baseball and fastpitch softball. The 10-fielder format adds a fourth outfielder for slow-pitch and recreational softball. Coach pitch can include a player at pitcher beside the coach, or drop that position. T-ball allows up to 12 fielders with rover and extra outfield spots, and a catcher is optional.
What if someone is absent or shows up late?
Mark the player absent and the chart is rebuilt without them. For a late arrival, choose the inning they arrive in; they will not appear before it, and in the batting order they are added at the end. If there are fewer available players than positions in some inning, the tool says which inning and how many players are missing.
Can I keep a player out of catcher or pitcher?
Yes. Open Position limits on that player and tick the positions they should never play. These are hard constraints that the chart always obeys. You can also lock a player to a position for certain innings, for example pitcher in innings 1 and 2.
Can I change the chart by hand?
Yes. Tap a cell, then tap another cell in the same inning to swap the two players. The fairness summary updates immediately and any broken rule is listed by name and player. A swap that breaks a lock or a “never plays” choice is flagged as a hard problem.
Is my roster uploaded anywhere?
No. Names, numbers and charts are processed in your browser and kept in this browser's local storage. The share link contains the chart inside the link itself; it is not stored on a server. Analytics never receive names or other text you type.
Does it follow my league's rules, such as Little League?
No, and it cannot know them. Leagues, including Little League programs, set their own rules for minimum playing time, batting and pitching. LineupFair gives you coach settings you can switch on or off to match what your league expects. LineupFair is not affiliated with Little League Baseball.
Does it track pitch counts?
No. Pitch-count and rest-day tracking is out of scope. The innings limit at pitcher and catcher is a simple cap on innings in one game, not a pitch count. Use your league's own pitch-count rules and records.
How do I share the lineup with an assistant coach?
Copy the share link under Print and share and send it by text or email. The roster and the chart are packed into the link, so the page opens on their phone with the same chart. Share it only with people who should see the names.
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Last updated · Written by the Rooh Sites team. General coaching information. League rules vary, so check yours.